SARATOGA — West Valley College will be celebrating the year 1395 on March 15. No, they haven”t found a way to go back in time — that”s the new year on the Persian calendar.

The college will hold a celebration of Nowruz, a holiday that marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year on the Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the Vernal equinox, which occurs on March 20 this year. While originally a Zoroastrian festival, the holiday now is celebrated and observed in Iran — where it is an official holiday lasting for 13 days–and many other parts of the world, including regions of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and China.

One of the largest refugee populations in Santa Clara County happens to be Iranian, according to Renee Paquier, chairwoman of the administration of justice department who is co-organizing the event this year with Behin Noormanesh, a financial aid adviser.

“One of the things we”ve worked on throughout the years is educating and reaching the campus community through cultural programs that we present,” said Paquier, who noted that last year”s even drew 400 people. “What we aspire to do is to break down the negative stigma associated with Middle Eastern culture.”